Folding umbrella.



E.' HUBBARD.

FOLDING UMBRELLA. t

APPLICATION FILED 0cT .f |8 1915. y, l 1 96, 95 2..' Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

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.III "III Il. 'III 1 il. flnlnIAl EDWARD HUBBARD, OF DE KALB, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 5, reis.

Application led October 18, 1915. Serial No. 56,411.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HUBBARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of De Kalb, in the county of Dekalb and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, reference be brella of ordinary length is usually too long A to be placed within a suitcase or other similar carrying bag.

This invention relates to an umbrella which is jointed at each of its ends to permit the handle, as well as the tip of the umbrella, to be folded inwardly, thusdecreasing the length vof the same and permitl ting the umbrella to be readily placed and packed within a suitcase of ordinary length.

It is an object therefore of this invention to construct an umbrella provided with a folding handle and folding tip capable of being folded inwardly to decrease the length of the umbrella without in any way interfering with the extensible fabric structure of the umbrella.

It is also an object of this invention to construct an umbrella wherein the umbrella.

` stick is provided with a pivotally mounted handle and tip which, by actuation of suit-` able members for the purpose, permit the" same to be slidably withdrawn from the main portion of the stick and pivotally bent into an angled position to decrease th-e length of the umbrella as a whole.

It is also an object of this invention to.'

construct an umbrella provided with an improved form of pivoted handle and tip which, when released, may be withdrawn slightly from the main'umbrella stick and then bent about their respective pivots into an angled position to shorten the umbrella and permit the same to be packed into a suitcase of ordinary length. i

It is furthermore an important object of this invention to construct an umbrella provided with a pivotal handle and tip of eX- actly similar construction, each operating independently, however, to permit shortenmg the length of the umbrella whereby either by folding one end or the other or both, as the case may be, the length of the umbrella may be decreased to permit packing the same in to the luggage of a traveler.

It is finally an object of this invention to .construct an improved type of umbrella havmg a pivotal handle and tip with the mechanisms of each exactly similar and each independently operatable to permit shortening the length of the umbrella as a whole forl any purpose whatsoever.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a reduced elevational view of an umbrella embodying the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof illustrating the handle and tip end thereof bent into a folded position. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail with parts in elevation, illustrating the connection of the handle to the main stick of the umbrella. Fig. 4 is a detail view of,

the lower end of the umbrella stick illustrating the tip in a folded position. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken through the lower end of the umbrella, with parts shown in elevation and with the parts adjustedl preliminary to a folding or bending movement. Fig. 6 is a similar view thereof illustrating the parts locked in extended position for use. Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on line 7,-7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 isa detail section taken on line 8-8 of Fig'. 5. Fig. 9 is a detail section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

As shown in the drawings: the main stick of the umbrella, preferably tubular steel, is denoted as a-whole by the reference numeral 1, and mounted thereon in the usual manner is a framework carrying the fabric 2, which, in the illustrations shown in Figs. l and 2, is in folded or collapsed position upon vthe umbrella stick. Securely mounted within the upper end of the tubular umbrella stick 1, isa hollow plug or collar 3, held secured therein by indenting the metal of the stick 1, thereinto, as denoted by the reference numeral 1. Slidably mounted through said plug 3, is a rod 5, which eX- tends through the plug into the tubular umbrella stick 1, and at its lower end is provided with a pair of washers 6, resting upon a rectangular pin or key 7, inserted through a rectangular aperture provided in the Aet lower end of said rod 5. Coiled about the lower end of said rod 5, and resting upon the uppermost of said pair of washers 6, is a coiled compression spring 8, the upper end of which bears against a washer 9, provided upon said Vrod 5, and thrust upwardly beneath the fixed plug or collar 3. The upper end of said rod 5, above the plug 3, is enlarged as indicated by the reference numeral 10, to limit the downward movement of said rod 5, through said plug due to the stress of the compression spring 8, and at the extreme upper end of said rod 5, above the enlarged portion 10, is a tongue 11. Pivotally connected upon said tongue 11, by means of a pin or pintle 12, is the recessed or yoked lower end of a rod 13, which is rigidly secured in the lower tubular end of or forms a part of' a handle 14, of the umbrella. The eXtreme upper end of the umbrella stick 1, is increased in diameter and has threads spun or stamped therein adapted to receive threaded therein the lower end of said tubular end of the handle 14, said threaded connection being denoted by the reference numeral 15.

Referring now to the lower end of the umbrella stick at which the tip is pivotally mounted, the construction is substantially identical, except that, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive, a conical cap 16, is secured in any suitable manner upon the lower end of said umbrella stick 1, into which the framework for the fabric 2, is connected in the usual manner, though not shown.

Secured within the lower end of said tubular umbrella stick 1, is a plug 17, as shown, held rigidly in position by a transverse pin 18, and the lower end of said plug 17, which is cylindrical in shape, is cut away or recessed to form a yoke in which is pivotally connected the tongue 19, of a rod 20, by means of a pin or pintle 21. Slidably mounted upon said rod 20, is a tubular eX- tension or tip 22, which at its lower end is provided with the usual striking point 23, for contact with the ground or other object when the umbrella is carried in the usual manner -by the handle 14. Rigidly secured within said tubular extension 22, is a collar or plug 24, the metal of said tubular eXtension 2.2, being struck or dented inwardly for the purpose, as shown by the reference numeral 25. The lower end of said rod 20, has inserted therethrough a rectangular pin or key 26, upon which rests a pair of washers 27, and seated upon the uppermost of said pair of washers is a coiled compression spring 28, the upper end of which bears against a washer 29, disposed beneath the hollow plug or collar 24. The eXtreme upper end of the tubular extension or tip 22, is increased in diameter and has threads formed or stamped therein adapted to coact with the lower similarly threaded end of the umbrella stick 1, the threaded connection being denoted by the reference numeral 30, in Figs. 5 and 6.

rFhe operation is as follows: With the device with its parts shown in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, if it is desired to fold the same with the parts shown as in Fig. 2, the handle 14, is first rotated to unthread the same from the umbrella stick 1, by disengagement of the threaded connection 15, and thereafter the handle is pulled upwardly, pulling the rod 5, therewith against the compression of the spring 8, until the pivotal connection between the plug 13, within the handle and the upper end of said rod 5, has been removed sufficiently out and beyond the end of the umbrella stick 1, to permit the pintle connection to be broken in the manner shown in Fig. 2, whereupon of course the stress of the spring 8, pulls inwardly until the pivotal connection of the parts on the pintle 12, strikes against the upper threaded end of the umbrella stick 1. The tip or extension end 22, of the umbrella is folded in a like manner by being unthreaded from the main stick 1, by disengagement of the threaded connection 30, and then drawing outwardly upon said eX- tension 22, against the compression of the spring 28, until the tubular extension 22, has been withdrawn sufiiciently to uncover the pivotal connection formed by the pin 21, whereupon the pintle connection is broken.

I am aware that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and l therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an umbrella of the class described, the combination of a main tubular stick, a handle and tip associated therewith, rods in each end of said stick longitudinally movable therein, pivotal connections between said rods and said handle and tip to permit independent folding of each thereof at the respective ends of said stick, means acting normally to retract said handle and tip into said stick but permitting relative rotation of the parts, and cooperating means on the adjacent ends of said stick and said handle and tip for effecting a screw connection between the respective parts.

2. In an umbrella of the class described, the combination of a main tubular stick, a handle and tip associated therewith, rods in each end of said stick longitudinally movable therein, pivotal connections between said rods and said handle and tip to permit independent folding of each thereof at the respective ends of said stick, springs encircling said rods and operating normally to retract said handle and tip into said stick but permitting relative rotation of the parts, and cooperating means on the adjacent ends of said stick and said handle and tip for effecting a screw connection between the respective parts.

3. In an umbrella of the class described, the combination of a main tubular stick, a handle and tip associated therewith, rods in each end of said stick longitudinally movable therein, fixed plugs in said stick through which said rods freely pass, springs encircling the inner ends of said rods and normally forcing the latter inwardly through their Contact with said plugs but permitting relative rotation of said rods in said plugs, pivotal connections between said y rods and said handle and tip to permit independent folding of each thereof at the respective ends of said stick, and coperating means on the adjacent ends of said stick and said handle and tip for effecting a screw connection between the respective parts.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD HUBBARD. Witnesses.:

R. F. MCCORMIGK, M. P. MEHM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

